Chapter 37: You Can Only Have One Sip, Okay?

“Is it good?”

“Mm.”

Li Xingya leaned against Lin Jin’an’s shoulder, taking small sips of her milk tea.

‘Mm, such a luxurious taste.’

‘With just 30% sugar, it’s not too cloying.’

‘Next time… after school, I’ll buy a cup to take home too.’

“This milk tea is a new release,” Lin Jin’an suddenly said.

Li Xingya blinked.

“Mm?”

“When it came out today, I immediately thought of letting Xiaoya try it.”

Lin Jin’an’s expression grew more nervous.

“I mean… I, I still don’t know what this milk tea… what it actually tastes like.”

Li Xingya bit down on the straw in her mouth.

‘Hmm~?’

‘So that’s what she means.’

‘How pervy.’

Li Xingya understood Lin Jin’an’s intention, but she deliberately played dumb:

“Then why not buy a second cup? When we pass by later, we can have the driver stop and grab another one.”

“The new release… is limited edition,” Lin Jin’an said through gritted teeth.

“It might be limited for others, but definitely not for you, right? Merchants would be dying for you to promote it.”

Lin Jin’an: “…”

Seeing the other woman at a rare loss for words, Li Xingya smirked to herself.

‘She just wants a sip of mine.’

‘Two people… sharing the same straw, an indirect kiss.’

‘Well then—should I let her have it?’

Li Xingya stole a glance at Lin Jin’an.

‘Just this once.’

“Here.”

“Xiaoya…?”

“You can’t just use your public image for something like this… right? I’m going to debut someday, too. I understand that much.”

Li Xingya handed Lin Jin’an an easy out.

“Xiaoya!”

Unable to contain herself, Lin Jin’an wrapped her arms tightly around Li Xingya.

“This kid of yours…”

‘How can she be this cute!’

“Let go of me,” Li Xingya said, struggling in Lin Jin’an’s embrace.

“So, are you going to drink it or not?”

“Drink it!”

“…But.”

Li Xingya’s gaze suddenly shifted to the driver up front.

The driver was a woman, dressed in a black work uniform, her hair cut to ear length, giving her a crisp, efficient look.

Following Li Xingya’s gaze, the driver smiled at her through the rearview mirror.

“Hello, I’m Lin Jin’an’s manager. Just call me Zhou Zhiting.”

Li Xingya nodded.

“Hello, Sister.”

‘Since she’s the manager…’

‘That should be fine, right?’

Lin Jin’an: “?!”

“Xiaoya, what about… what about me?”

“Lin Jin’an.”

“How can you…!”

‘Why does she call everyone else ‘Sister’ but calls me by my full name?’

‘I want to be her big sister too.’

“Still drinking?”

Li Xingya shook the milk tea cup in her hand.

“If not, I’ll finish it all myself.”

“Of course I want some!”

Lin Jin’an blinked hard, and the corners of her eyes immediately moistened.

As expected of someone who could become a National Idol, simple crying scenes like that were a breeze.

Of course, Li Xingya wasn’t fooled—after all, she was also quite skilled at using tears to deceive.

That kind of trick doesn’t work on her.

Li Xingya handed the milk tea to Lin Jin’an.

“Don’t drink it all in one gulp,” she said protectively.

Lin Jin’an looked down at the cup—or more precisely, at the faint bite marks on the straw.

“Thanks.”

This scene was strange.

After all, this was Lin Jin’an—the one who’d be recognized by countless people just walking down the street.

And here she was, thanking someone for a cup of milk tea that was only a third full.

Hearing Lin Jin’an’s thanks, Li Xingya didn’t know how to respond for a moment.

She just silently watched as Lin Jin’an put her lips to the straw and took a careful sip.

“How does it taste?”

“Better than I imagined.”

“Is that so.”

Li Xingya slumped down and lay sideways across Lin Jin’an’s lap.

“How much longer until we get to where you mentioned?”

“About two hours.”

Lin Jin’an subtly raised the tips of her feet, lifting her legs slightly to make Li Xingya more comfortable.

“That’s far… Finish the rest of the milk tea for me. I’ll sleep a bit.”

Going out on a date with Lin Jin’an on the weekend—this counted as overtime.

But in front of Lin Jin’an, and only in front of her, Li Xingya didn’t have to stay on edge the whole time.

‘She’ll see through me anyway.’

‘So…’

‘Just in front of you,’

‘It’s okay for me to let my guard down a little, right?’

‘Just this once.’

‘I want to rest a bit.’

Li Xingya’s eyes grew heavy.

In a daze, she felt her shoes being taken off, and her whole body was lifted up and laid down on the back seat.

A pair of hands gently combed through her hair, over and over—ticklish, yet soothing.

“Xiaoya, rest well for now. Sister will wake you when we arrive.”

“…Mm.”

‘Suddenly, Lin Jin’an doesn’t seem as annoying as before.’

Li Xingya curled up, pressing closer to Lin Jin’an.

‘There’s a strange sense of security.’

***

Half an hour later

“Li Xingya… went out this early?”

On the weekend, looking at the empty house, Jiang Chiyue felt a wave of irritation rise in her chest.

‘Did she go alone…’

‘Or with someone else?’

‘Why didn’t she tell me?’

Jiang Chiyue had always had a complicated feeling toward Li Xingya.

She wanted Li Xingya to live a life normal for her age—going to school, coming home, having a few close friends.

But… she also didn’t want anyone else near Li Xingya.

Just thinking about Li Xingya laughing and chatting with others made Jiang Chiyue clench her teeth.

‘Can’t you just stay by my side?’

Jiang Chiyue took out her phone and sent Li Xingya a message.

“Where did you go?”

The ringtone from Li Xingya’s pocket caught Lin Jin’an’s attention.

‘Who could be messaging her?’

‘Hmm…’

‘I’ll just take a peek.’

Lin Jin’an reached out, inch by inch, toward Li Xingya’s pants pocket.

Suddenly.

That feeling of being watched from yesterday at Li Xingya’s house appeared again.

Stare—

Lin Jin’an looked down and saw Li Xingya’s amber eyes fixed on her.

The implication was crystal clear.

‘What are you doing?’

“Xiaoya… why are you awake already?”

“Let’s just say I’m a light sleeper.”

Li Xingya shot Lin Jin’an a look.

“If I hadn’t woken up, you’d probably have done something terrible to me, right?”

“You—let me explain,” Lin Jin’an stammered.

“I’m not listening.”

“…How can you be like this.”

Li Xingya ignored Lin Jin’an’s dejection.

She sat up, stretched, and pulled her phone out of her pocket.

As a Sleeping Beauty, Li Xingya’s sleep quality was actually very good.

The reason she woke up so quickly was her instinctive reaction to the phone’s ringtone.

After all, she was a working girl.

Li Xingya opened her phone and saw a message from Jiang Chiyue.

She thought for a moment, then typed a reply on the screen:

[I’m not doing anything. Just want to walk around alone.]

[I’ll be back before dark.]

‘Sigh.’

‘Can’t I get a proper break?’

‘Lin Jin’an, Jiang Chiyue…’

‘Both of them are way too clingy.’